Surgical splint



2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

(No Model.)

,No. 532,461. Patented Jan. 15, 1895,

- (No Model) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2'.-

R. HOPPB.

SURGICAL SPLINT.

No. 532,461. Patented Jan. 15, 1895.

m5 "cams PETERS co.. PHOTO-IJTNQ, WASHINGTON, u. c,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

REINHOLD HOPPE, CESAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

SURGICAL SPLINT.

SPECIFIGATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 532,461, dated January15, 1895.

1 Application filed August 24,1894. Serial No. 521.154.. (to model.)

To all whom-it may concern:

Be it known that LREINHOLD HOPPE, a citizen of the United States,residing at San Francisco, in the county of San Francisco and State ofCalifornia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inSurgical Splints; and I do hereby declarethe following to be a full,clear, and exact description of said invention, such as will enableothers skilled in the art to which it most nearly appertains to make,use, and practice the same.

This invention relates to a certain new and useful surgical splint,which is more especially designed as an improvement upon the LettersPatent No. 504,218, granted me on the 29th day of August, 1893,'for animprovementin the sameclass'of devices.

This device is so constructed that the supporting platesmay be fittedupon the outside or inside'of a joint, the plates having longitudinalandrotatable movement upon jointed supportingrods, whereby the distancebetween the plates may be readily shortened or lengthened and freelyturned upon the supporting rods, so as toassume any desired position, inorder to adapt'the supporting plates to fit any form, shape or position,and for any desired pronation. 7 a The object of my invention is toprovide a simple and effective splint, which may be readily adjusted toany angle desired and held locked in such position or angle, the platesbeing allowed unlimited pronation after the supporting rods have beenlocked; and permit the supporting rods to be locked or unlocked afterbeing covered by the the bandages, thus overcoming the necessity ofextreme care being exercised in wrappingof bandages so as'not, to coverthe adjusting mechanism. I

Referring to the drawings forming apart of this application, whereinsimilar letters of reference denote corresponding parts-Figure 1 isaview showing the splint applied to the outside of a joint. Fig. 2 showsthe splint inposition to be used upon the inside joint, showing theextensible rod connected thereto for breaking anankylose. Fig. 3 is adetail partly broken View of the extensible rod. Fig. 4 is a top plandetail view showing end portion of the extensible rod and plateconnected thereto for securing the rod to one of the clamp sleeves.Fig.5 shows the splint as applied to the leg. Fig. 6 is an enlargeddetail View of the supporting rods, one of the rods being partly brokenaway so as to show the position of the lock rod for holding thesupporting rods in any desired angle, showing one of the clamp sleevesin position and connected to its supporting plate. Fig. 7 isa top planview of the clamp sleeve, and Fig. 8 isan enlarged detail view of thecoupling connection, partly in section, for the device when used as aleg splint.

The letters A, A indicate the support or splint plates, which may bemanufactured of 'wood or metal as desired, aluminum being preferred, byreason of its lightness and the easiness of manipulation. These platesare secured to the supporting rods B, B by means of split clamps Bthrough the medium of the small set screws a, which pass through theplates and ears 0. of the clamps B being held in place by thumbnuts a Byloosening these thumb nuts the plates may be moved in or out upon thesupporting rods, so as to shorten or lengthen the splint, or be rotatedthereon, so as to secure any desired pronation, each independent of theother. In order to hold the plates atany desired pronation it is onlynecessary to screw-up or tighten the thumb screws, which causes thespring clamps to tightly embrace the supporting rods, thereby settingthe plates and holding same in position. .By reference to the drawingsit will be noticed that the spring clamps have quite a long bearing.Consequently, the supporting rods are not cut into or marred by thetightening of the spring clamp. 7 These clamps consist of metallictubing having an inteinaldiam: eter slightly greater than the externaldiameter of the supporting rod, which is tO'zfil; therein, and spring orelasticity is given this clamp by cutting a longitudinal'slot a in oneside thereof the. entire length of the tube. By thus slotting the tube Iprovide a split clamp having sufficient elasticity or spring to permitof the same moving in or out with the tightening or loosening of thethumb screws a The supporting rods B, B are hinged together; in aratchet wheel 0, which fits between ears 0, projecting from inner end ofrod B, being The inner end of rod B terminates secured therebetween bypin b. Supporting rod 13 is a tubular one, and within same is fitted thelock rod C the inner end of which is shaped so as to fit between theteeth of the ratchet wheel 0. When this rod is moved inward its fulldistance, the end thereof engages within the teeth of the ratchet wheeland holds the rods locked together at whatever angle they may be whenthe lock rod engages the teeth of the ratchet wheel. By simply movingthe lock rod outward sufficiently far to take the inner end from betweenthe teeth of the ratchet wheel, the supporting rods are unlocked and maybe moved in or out to any angle desired. This lock rod is carried in orout by means of the screw rod 0 which is connected to the outer end ofthe said rod by a socket joint, as shown at b. The threads of the screwred C engage with the inner threads of the tubular supporting rod, theouter end of which screw rod is enlarged, in order to provide a handleor knob b by which the said rod may be screwed in and out. By securingthe screw rod to the lock rod by means of a socket joint, the screw rodis free to turn without rotating the lock rod.

For the purpose of preventing any possibility of the lock rod beingrotated, I cut in the inner end portion thereof the guide groove or slotb within which fits the guide pin or stud b, said pin or stud projectingthrough the inner end portion of the tubular supporting rod, Fig. 6. Bymeans of this pin or stud the lock rod is held in true line with theteeth of the ratchet wheel 0, so that when the lock rod is moved inwardthe end thereof will enter between the teeth of the ratchet wheel. Ifthis guide pin or equivalent be not provided, the lock rod mightpossibly become displaced, which would consume time to place the end ofthe said rod in line with the teeth of the ratchet wheel. When thusconstructed Iprovide a device similar to that illustrated by Fig. 1,whereby the supporting rods are free to move in and out to any desiredangle, and the splint plates free to be turned to any desired positionof pronation, each independent of the other. As thus constructed thesplint device, after proper pronation of the splint plates is secured,may be entirely covered by bandages, and the supporting rods locked orunlocked without removing the same. This feature of my invention will begreatly appreciated by users of the splint, inasmuch as the same may besecured to the limb and the limb then bent until a comfortable angle orposition is secured, when the supporting rods may be locked at suchangle. Again, the rods maybe unlocked and the movement of the limb triedwithout removing the bandages, hence preventing displacement of thesplint plates. By permitting a free, unlimited rotation to be given thesplint plates, the same may be so adjusted as not to bear upon suchmuscles of the limb as to necessitate the patient holding the limb in anunnatural position, so as to avoid pain. As shown by the constructionillustrated in Fig. 1, I may flex the device in either direction.

It oftimes is required that the surgeon break an aukylose, and in orderto accomplish this successfully, where the splint is used, I makeemployment of what I term abreak rod, which consists of the screw rod Dand tubular rod D, within which the screw rod fits, the screw rod Dpassing through the screw nut D which nut is movably secured to innerend of the tubular rod D. As this screw nut is turned to the right orleft the screw rod is forced in or out of the tubular rod. When movedoutward the pressure thereof forces the supporting rods apart or awayfrom each other, which, if sufficient pressure he applied, will readilycause the breaking of an ankylose. The outer end of the screw rod D andtubu lar rod D is slotted, so as to receive the end of ear (Z, which isswiveled to plate 1). Ear d is secured within the slotted ends by meansof pin d. Consequently, the tubular rod and screw rod may be said to besecured to plate D by a universal joint.

Plates D are provided with openings (1 through which the screws (1extend, the thumb nuts a holding the plates in position, Fig. 2. In thismanner the break device is connected to the splint or supporting plates.By p1-oviding a universal connection between the tubular rod D, screwrod D and securing plates D the break device may be readily attached tothe splint plates, as before described, although the splint plates maybe placed at different angles of pronation, as illustrated by Fig. 2.

The screw nut D is prevented from moving out of the tubular rod by meansof the pin 0, which extends through said rod and fits within the annulargroove 0', out within the stem of the screw nut.

In cases of joint fractures where it is a necessity that the joint bemoved each day so as to prevent stiffness, this attachment to my splintwill be found of the utmost importance, inasmuch as by giving a slightturn to the screw nut each day, so as to move the screw rod in and out,the joint will be moved correspondingly, while the splint or supportingplates will hold the splintered bone sufficiently rigid to cause thesame to knit properly.

In Fig. 5 my device is shown when converted to a leg splint. For thispurpose I make employment of a third splint or supporting plate A thesupporting rods being connected to the splint plates as heretoforedescribed. When thus used it is necessary to make use of two sets ofsupporting rods and connect same by a coupling device, which consists ofa right and left handed screw threaded rod E, which works within thescrew threaded coupling sleeves E, E The outer end portion of thesesleeves at one side 1 slot for a distance, as shown at e, and providewith ears 6'. Through these cars works the thumb screw E By slotting theends of the sleeves .other by merely turning the screw rod E to theright or left. The hinged joints of the splint are locked in anyposition in the same manner as when used as an arm splint.

While I make employment of the coupling device for moving the innersupporting rods toward or from each other, so as to gain the properdistance, such is not the primary object thereof, for this may beobtained by simply loosening one of the clamps B and moving the rod upor down. The main purpose of the coupling device is to enable me tostretch the limb when contracted by a fracture. This is accomplished bysimply loosening one of the clamps B and turning the coupling rod so asto force the bandaged plates away from each other by increasing thedistance detween the ends of the inner rods, thus gaining properextension of the bone.

The fact that my splint plates are removabl'y secured to the springclamps enables me to utilize different sized or shaped plates withoutrequiring separate fastening devices, for by merely puncturing theplates, in order to permit the screws a to pass therethrough, the sameclamps may be used. This is an important feature in the manufacture ofthese devices, as it materially reduces the cost of the article.

Of course it will readily be understood that my device may be used tostraighten and strengthen a curvature of the back and for various otherinjuries or malformations to the human body.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desiretosecure protection in by Letters'Patent, is-

r 1. Inasurgical splint, the combination with the hinged supportingrods, a locking device adapted to be moved into locked engagement withthe hinged joint of the supporting rods, whereby the rods may be readilylocked at any angle or unlocked at will,and the splint or supportingplates secured to the supporting rods, said plates having a slidable androtatable movement upon the said rods.

2. In asurgical splint, the combination with the hinged supporting rods,a locking device for said rods, which holds the rods locked at anydesired angle, the splint or supporting plates, spring clamps fittedupon the supporting rods, and the set screws for removably securing theplates to the spring clamp and locking the clamps to the said rods.

3. In asurgical splint, the combination with the supporting rods hingedtogether, one of said rods being tubular and terminating in cars, theothers terminating in a ratchet wheel, which fits between the ears ofthe tubular rod, a longitudinally movable lock rod fitted within thetubular rod, which moves in or out of engagement with the ratchet wheelso as to lock or unlock the supporting rods,

a screw rod movably connected to, the lock rod for forcing the said rodin or out of engagement with the ratchet wheel, and the splint orsupporting plates connected to the supporting rods so as to have alongitudinal or a rotatable movement upon the supporting rods.

4. In a surgical splint, the combination with the hinged supportingrods, a lock mechanism carried by said rods in order that the same maybe locked at any desired angle,

spring clamps secured upon the rods, supporting plates removablyconnected to the clamps, a device connected to the clamps for forcingthe supporting rods apart in order to break an ankylose or give movementto a joint,

said device consisting of ascrew threaded rod and a tubular rod withinwhich the screw threaded rod works, a screw nut movably secured to thetubular rod for forcing the screw rod in or out, the outer end of therods be- 0 ing hinged to an ear swiveled to a plate which is connectedto the clamps.

5. In asurgical splint, the combination with the hinged supporting rods,a locking device carried thereby for securing the rods at any 5 desiredangle, the supporting plates removably secured to the supporting rods,and a device for forcing the supporting rods apart in order to break anankylose, said device being fastened to the rods by swivel connec- ICOtions, whereby the rods may be forced apart with the supporting platesat any position of pronation.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

REIN HOLD HOPPE.

Witnesses:

N. A. ACKER, LEE D. CRAIG.

